Triathlon fits perfect in Elon worker's busy schedule

As if Bryan Baker wasn’t too busy with his job at Elon University and helping coach his son and daughter in T-ball and basketball, he just had to take up triathlon.

“I stay really busy,” Baker said.

Baker, from Gibsonville, is one of the nearly 300 individuals who will compete Saturday at the Mission Man Triathlon at Lake Cammack Park and Marina. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. with a 750-meter swim, followed by a 15-mile bike and ending with 5-kilometer run.

Baker, 40, is the coordinator of video projects in Elon’s school of communications. He typically spends his lunch period running around the campus or swimming at the pool. He’ll run 3-4 miles or swim for 40 minutes and then take a quick shower and head back to work.

“I feel very fortunate that I don’t have to get up at 4 o’clock or 5 o’clock in the morning (to train),” Baker said.

He spends much of his day sitting down editing video clips, so it’s refreshing to get up and move around a bit. But he also uses it as a time to brainstorm and think of ideas for possible projects. Baker carries around a notepad to write down any ideas, and some of his best ideas come while he’s swimming.

“It’s a good time to step away from everything and reflect and think about what you’re doing and what you want to do,” Baker said.

Swimming is an easy time to think for Baker because he’s not listening to music. He has been passionate about music since he was little, and has done a lot with music recording dating to his college days. Baker especially loves jazz music, but gets a taste of a lot of different genres during his 45-50 minute runs.

“Whenever I run … I do listen to music,” Baker said. “That provides me just enough time to check out a new album, or really go back and reflect on something that I listened to 20 years ago.”

This will be the fourth year Baker has competed in the Mission Man Triathlon, an event he called “perfect” for his busy schedule. He started running about 10 years ago, but wanted to try something different and started swimming, which brought him back to his days as a lifeguard. Then Baker’s friend gave him an old bike of his to use, and he was set to compete in a triathlon.

And on Saturday, he’ll look to beat his time from last year.

“It’s a lot of fun to set a goal, work to it, and to see it happen,” Baker said. “It’s a good little benchmark for me every year, to stay honest with trying to stay healthy.”